Chasing Passion Over Profession
Skateboarder in the air, mid-trick, at a skate park
We tend to think it is a feeling reserved for a lucky few. Those individuals who knew from an early age what they wanted to be when they grew up. They may be doctors, lawyers, teachers, or physical therapists. Whoever they are, you know them when you meet. After the social pleasantries have subsided and the conversation turns to “so, what do you do?” You brace yourself for a standard answer, “I work in sales” or “I clean teeth for a living”, but instead there are individuals whose eyes light up at the opportunity to share their reason for waking up every morning. To these people, it is more than just a job. For them, it is an opportunity to make a difference. A chance to make other people’s lives better. They are the people who choose to chase their passion over just another profession.
Not everyone may know right away what motivates or inspires them. Sometimes circumstance and attitude have a lot to do with people discovering their passion. We admire successful people and wonder how they got the opportunity to wake up every day and do what they love. The answer is simple. They focused on their interests and identified the common characteristics their interests share. So many people think that Steve Jobs was passionate about computers, he wasn’t. He was interested in life, the environment, and the external factors that affect people every day. He was passionate about improving people’s lives.
Passion is the result of focusing our interests on work that we love. The work that we love focuses on our ability to make a difference. The difference we create focuses on making people’s lives better. Every successful organization or institution is a result of its ability to positively affect other peoples’ lives through its products and services. The physical work is not as important as the fulfillment we receive as a result of our efforts. We invest our time and energy because we believe that our impact reaches beyond day-to-day operations. We are willing to make sacrifices because we believe in the “why”. Life is too short to spend 40 hours a week doing something you don’t love.
“Passion is the result of an action. Passion is the feeling you have when you are engaged in something you love.” ~ Simon Sinek
Share why you love what you do?
